Swanfeather's story
by BlueFeatherStar
Summary: I looked at the small kit swinging in my jaws. My mate, Cazia, had died kitting that litter about two hours ago, I had buried her and my two sons by the tree that their nest was in. The kit squirmed and I looked at the moon. I'd heard from a kittypet, Tammy, that the clan hear run a patrol at moon high. Atleast, I remember it to be moonhigh. *R&R,* T because its warriors
1. Prologue and Opening

A/N: This Fic is from the back of my mind, and I'm not sure if its going to be very good, but if you could R&R, I'd be so happy :)

* * *

I looked at the small kit swinging in my jaws. My mate, Cazia, had died kitting that litter about two hours ago, I had buried her and my two sons by the tree that their nest was in. The kit squirmed and I looked at the moon. I'd heard from a kittypet, Tammy, that the clan hear run a patrol at moon high. Atleast, I remember it to be moonhigh. Tammy's towlegs had left and taken her with them, and abandoned their nest. I had slept there for a long time; it was still warm and was good shelter. I yawned - my paws ached. The kit murmered, and I sighed. I had to give his only daughter to a clan. My own mother used to live in a clan, her name was Goldentoe, and left because she fell inlove with a rogue - my father, Henry. My mother and father left me and my sister behind when we were about eight moons, they said we were old enough and well trained enough to survive on our own. Jasmin had her own kits recently; I'd agree to visit after Cazia had ours and they could walk and hunt and be big enough to get up the mountains. I could take my kit to her, but she'd freeze on the way. It was to long and to hard a journey on her. I smelt the strong scent marks of the clan... what was it called again? Tammy said it had something to do with Thunder or Lightning. Thunderclan. That was it. The moon was full and high, and I ventured past the scent marker and marked two trees. In the middle, I curled up with my kit. She burrowed into my stomach and started mewling. All I could do is keep her warm. I scented cats a small while later - the patrol. I touched my nose against my kits and began to run away from her, past the scent markers and beyond the boundaries of Thunderclan. I hid behind a bramble thicket about four or five foxlengths away.  
"Why couldn't I have gone to the gathering?" a cat was moaning.  
"If you keep this up, I'll ask Bramblestar to not to make you a warrior for another three moons." an older cat colded.  
"Cherrypaw! Foxleap! Be quiet! I can smell another scent!" another warrior hissed. The dark ginger cat - Foxleap, presumably - sniffed the air.  
"Smells like a rogue, Birchfall."  
"Foxleap!" the smaller cat mewed, she was standing beside my kit. "Birchfall! Theres a kit!" The other cats turned to her.  
"Foxleap, take the kit back to camp." Birchfall ordered.  
"I can smell the rogue!" Foxleap hissed, I crouched lower.  
"She still smells of her parent - it smells like it was her father." Birchfall looked at Foxleap. "Me and Cherrypaw can secure the boundarys while you take her back. Cinderheart can suckle her." The other tom picked up my kit in his jaws, and began to run through the forest - probably back to their camp.

With a heavy heart, I turned back and began to run. Only after Cherrypaw and Birchfall re-scented the trees and each one around where I'd left my daughter and disapeared into the night.

* * *

"Stormkit! Swankit! Sandkit!" Cinderheart called to the three of us. My brothers were all running around me. I stomped over to my "mother" - Aparently my mother had to leave me with her "friends" in this camp - and she loved me just like her two real sons. Our "dad", Lionblaze was the same. It seemed that taking in the stray kit was just something they could take in their stride. Stormkit nudged me towards the nursery, and Sandkit was complaining to Cinderheart that we hadn't played fairly. Dovewing's two kits, Flaxkit and Nightkit, were looking at us as we walked back to our mother. Cinderheart ushered us inside and we were told to stay quiet, as Squirrelflight's kits were here now. We followed Cinderheart towards our nest at the back of the den, as Bramblestar walked in to meet his kits. I wonder if Lionblaze did this four months ago, with Stormkit and Sandkit, before I arrived shivering and cold in the night. I arrived two sunrises after Stormkit and Sandkit did, and Lionblaze was woken up to help name me. I was named Swankit because of my almost white pelt at the time. Its faded to a pale grey, but Lionblaze says its very similar to Cinderhearts. I dont see the resemblence, shes a dark beautiful grey and I'm a very very light grey. But my eyes are similar to Lionblaze's. Anyone would think that I was their daughter. Stormkit had Cinderheart's dark pelt and her eyes - but his pelt was a bit darker. Sandkit was the same as Lionblaze, from his pelt to his eyes. I looked quite different, but then I was. It was only the small similarities that made a few cats think that I am Thunderclan through and through. Brambleclaw licked the four bundles of fur surrounding his mate - she had given up Deputy duties and Birchfall was the new deputy. They had named the ginger tom Firekit, and were deciding on names for the other three. My brothers and I padded slowly away from Cinderheart towards them. Bramblestar smiled as we looked at the kits.  
"You can help us name them if you want. This is Firekit." Bramblestar and Squirrelflight smiled.  
I looked at the three toms and the one girl. Firekit was a flame orange colour, the two other toms were a light tabby and a dark brown tabby. The she-kit was a light brown.  
"Maybe Dawnkit?" I suggested for the light brown she cat. Bramblestar shook his head.  
"Tawnypelt's kit is called Dawnpelt."  
"Morningkit?" Stormkit suggests. Squirrelflight purred.  
"Perfect."  
"Badgerkit?" Sandkit suggested for the brown tabby. The new parents nodded.  
"Greenkit? Redkit? Longkit? I have no idea." I huffed.  
"I like Longkit..." Bramblestar murmered to his mate.  
"After Longtail?"  
"Yeah..."  
Cinderheart called us three back to her nest and we curled up to sleep.


	2. The Prophecy

A/N: and here are the replies!

Petaldawn: ooh doesn't worry it's going to be continued :)

* * *

"And here is where the Apprentices sleep!" I finished the tour of the camp for Longkit, Morningkit, Badgerkit and Firekit by the thorn bush. The sun was slowly sinking, and long shadows were being cast.

"We'll be sleeping in there in two moons!" Sandkit boasted to the four kits.

"We'll be sleeping in there tonight!" Flaxkit gloated, waltzing up from behind me.

"Your becoming apprentices?" Firekit's eyes gleamed as he looked up to the older kits.

"Well, at least the Nursery won't stink now!" Stormkit chuckled.

"Don't start anything." I growled to my brother.

"And neither should you, Flaxkit!" Nightkit emerged from the apprentices den.

"What were you doing in there?" the pale tabby asked his black-pelted sister.

"Dewpaw said he'd show me where to make my nest, it's in between his and Amberpaw's." Nightkit smugly replied. I walked towards my friend.

"I'll miss you! You're leaving me with my brothers and the four whinge bags…" I whined. Nightkit and I had become good friends, being the only two she-kits in the nursery. She was a lot nicer than her brother.

"I'll miss you too!" Nightkit purred and licked me between the ears. "But your pretty whingey yourself!" she giggled. "And you'll be in here soon!"

"Not soon enough!" I purred. Bumblestripe and Dovewing called their kits from the other side of the camp, and the older pair ran off. Stormkit purred.

"C'mon, let's get some fresh kill."

We made it three fox lengths before Sandpaw decided we'd better deposit the four kits back to Squirrelflight. They whined and Badgerkit refused to walk in, sitting crossly in the middle of the clearing demanding he could join us for fresh kill. A very embarrassed Bramblestar had to jump from highledge to move him back into the nursery.

"It's going to be quiet without Flaxkit and Nightkit." I sighed as Sandkit pulled a squirrel off the pile for us to share with Cinderheart. We also picked her up a shrew, which I carried as my brothers hauled the mass of grey fluff to our nest where Cinderheart was sharing tongues with Lionblaze. Lionblaze left for a moment to get his own fresh kill, and returned moments later with his own mouse. After a while, we'd finished eating and Brambleclaw called the clan to a meeting.

"All cats old enough to catch prey gather for a clan meeting!" he called. We began to run to the entrance, before Cinderheart called us back.

"Are you old enough to catch prey?"

"We're old enough to catch moss!" We replied before running out. Lionblaze purred as we ran around him. It wouldn't be as cute with only two kits. Cinderheart joined us and we sat watching highledge as Bramblestar climbed back up, after making Brightheart help Squirrelflight with the kits.

"The Clan has never been prospering this well. Newleaf is here, and Thunderclan is strong. Our Nursery is full of kits, and today two of them shall receive their apprentice names and mentors." Flaxkit and Nightkit looked at each other as Bramblestar ushered them forward.

"Are you ready to become apprentices; to train to protect and feed this clan?"

"Yes!" Flaxkit yowled.

"Yes" Nightkit replied, calmer than her brother.

"Then I name you Flaxkit, and Thornclaw shall be your mentor." The senior warrior walked forward, and touched noses with the apprentice. Flaxkit beamed. Thornclaw may be older, but he still was full of fight. Blossomfall and him were almost always spotted next to each other, and Blossomfall had moved into the nursery expecting his kits.

"I name you Nightpaw, and your mentor shall be Mousewhisker." The warrior proudly padded towards Nightpaw, and touched noses with her. They then retreated to the back of the circle.

"I am also going to be naming to warriors, who shall be sitting their vigil tonight. Cherrypaw and Molepaw…" Poppyfrost and Berrynose rushed to their kits, and began furiously grooming them. "..they look fine, thank you." Bramblestar blinked. The two apprentices walked towards their leader, who jumped down to stand beside them.

"Are you willing to defend this clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"Yes." They both replied at the same time.

"Then I give you the name Moleberry, in honour of your father." Berrynose's eyes welled up, and he looked like he was going to explode.

"I give you the name Cherryfern!" Bramblestar finished, and everyone congratulated the new warriors and apprentices.

* * *

"Seedpaw, I need you to collect some more Raspberry tomorrow." Jayfeather instructed his apprentice, as Briarlight sat on the nest beside the store, counting the herbs. Bramblestar was collecting herbs to help Squirrelflight's milk, and Briarlight had decided to count the herbs. They had worked out that Briarlight would help with Herb storage, and she also turned out to be an excellent birthing coach. During Dovewing's kitting, she got really distressed and her first born was dead. Briarlight had forced Dovewing to calm down, by standing behind the queen's head and soothingly licking the back of it. Ivypool and Whitewing helped her, and Briarlight was aloud to stand in more with Seedpaw and Jayfeather.

"With Blossomfall due anyday, it will be a good idea to have some stocked up." Briarlight added. Her voice was thick, and Briarlight must be thinking how her Brother's kits have become paws and her sister is having her kits soon; while she's crippled and unable to have any kits what so ever. Seedpaw was moving herbs back into the store.

"Seedpaw?"

She was hunched over, and her eyes were wide. Her fur was prickling.

"Jayfeather! Enter her thoughts!" Bramblestar demanded.

"It's a message from Starclan…" Jayfeather reported…

_Two trees were on a hill, one with dark leaves and one with light leaves. The dark tree was a sapling, and a similar tree once grew there. However, that tree was crushed. Splinters from the old tree were lifted onto the new tree as it grew, and it grew so big it was three times the height of the light tree. As it began to topple onto the lighter tree, a small flower from in between the two trees rose to a magnificent scale, crushing the dark tree._

_"They shall return, but an outcast will stop them in their tracks." Firestar's voice boomed. The flower was pale grey and feathers fell from it as it grew. "The power of this one cannot be matched." The flower covered the dark tree's spot and paused. "That one, and that one alone, will end them for good." Firestar appeared infront of the trees. "You should know who they are." _

"They shall return, but an outcast will stop them in their tracks."

They all knew who the prophecy meant.


	3. Swanpaw's fight

Replies:

Amberflower : I think the whole Jay/Lion/Holly not knowing would've meant this was copying it alot, therefore I made it so that she knew. She was probably told by Flaxkit, that little toad ^_^

Sachiko: oooh dont worry, this will be at least 20 chapters :)

A/N: first (bad) fight scene in this chapter! Also, Swanpaw goes berserk... Sorry for the masssiveeee chapters!

* * *

"Are you ready to train and become Apprentices? To learn the code and protect the clan?" Bramblestar asked.  
"Yes!" Stormkit purred.  
"Yes!" Sandkit meowed.  
"Yes!" I replied. My brothers were much bigger than me, I was quite a bit lither, leaner and tightly-packed. Both of my brothers had a similar build to Lionblaze, and I looked more like a Windclan cat.  
"Then I give you the name Stormpaw, and your mentor shall be Cloudtail." White touched noses with Dark Grey.  
"I give you the name Sandpaw, and Cherryfern will mentor you." The young warrior's eyes were sparkling as she touched noses with her apprentice. Some cats muttered that she was too young, but most were replied with "Cloudtail's experienced enough for both of them."  
"I give you the name Swanpaw." There was a pause in the air. "And I was rather unsure as to who will mentor you, Swanpaw. Therefore, I shall mentor you myself."  
"Wha-" My jaw dropped as all the clan whispered. Bramblestar touched his nose against mine, and everyone started cheering our names.  
"Stormpaw! Sandpaw! Swanpaw! Stormpaw! Sandpaw! Swanpaw!" Cinderheart and Lionblaze began to shower us in licks, and Nightpaw came to congratulate me.  
"Wow!" she said first. "Dovewing says she doesn't know when a leader last mentored somebody!" Flaxkit appeared behind his sister.  
"Now I know why Bramblestar wasn't my mentor!" he looked at me.  
"I'm obviously better then!" I grinned, and Cinderheart began congratuating me.  
"No matter what happens, your still my kit." she purred.

"Bramblestar, what did you mean by you were rather unsure of who'd mentor me?" I asked as we sat along the lake shore. My brothers were being made to track a vole and send it towards me, and my mentor was sitting two foxlenghts behind me, so he could asses my pounce. I'd been an apprentice for about three moons now, and after this test we were going to move onto tree-climbing. I wasn't sure if I fell I'd survive, I was smaller than most other apprentices. CInderheart broke her leg in a tree, and I wasn't excited to be up there at all. We'd been assessed on our battle moves that morning.  
"Um... to tell you the truth I really want a um... apprentice." The Leader stuttered.  
"So you made that stuff about being unsure up?"  
"Pretty much."  
"Good." I looked down. "I thought you were unsure, because of the fact I wasnt born into the Clan..."  
"The leader before me wasn't born into the clan." Bramblestar looked at the sky. "He was also Squirelflight's and Leafpool's father, and Sandstorm's mate."  
"Do you mean, um... Flamestar?"  
"Firestar." Bramblestar looked at his apprentice. "Firekit's named after him."  
"Was he a rogue like my mother?"  
"No, he was a kittypet."  
"Wow... but wouldn't he have been cut and fattened?"  
"No, Firestar was young when he joined the clan. He hadn't been cut and was still not kittypet fat." Bramblestar chuckled. "Aparently he had a Collar, which a cat named Longtail broke."  
"Is that who Longkit's named after?" I gasped. Bramblestar nodded.  
"We hadn't thought to name him after Longtail. He died when a-"  
"-tree crashed into the camp. That's how Briarlight got her injury. She told me about it." I replied.  
"Wow, you know more about the clan than I thought." Bramblestar purred.  
At that moment, a rabbit leapt throught the brambles. I had thought that my brothers were going to send a vole. The must have scared the rabbit and it ran towards the lake - but why was it in the forest? It was the beggining of greenleaf, and in all the time I was in the clan, I'd never seen a rabbit on the freshkill pile. Before I had thought of anything else, I was chasing the rabbit. I've never ran so fast in her life. The Rabbit was heading towards Shadowclan, but I couldn't smell the border yet. Then I leapt. The rabbit let out a spurt, but I'd killed it before it could warn any other prey. I turned to take the rabbit back to Bramblestar, when I noticed my leader panting about five foxlenghts away.  
"You... you run fast..." He panted.  
"I saw the rabbit and thought I may aswell catch it..." I explained.  
"Don't worry, I'm sure the elders will love it." Cherryfern purred as she padded up from behind.  
"Me and Cherryfern were waiting in the trees near the shoreline here, because we were going to 'suprise' the three of you, but we were suprised instead." Cloudtail purred. Stormpaw and Sandpaw ran across next, explaining that nobody was where they made the vole go. Sandpaw had the Vole in his mouth.  
"We may aswell hunt now." Bramblestar decided, before he buried the prey in the roots of a tree further into Thunderclan's shoreline. We split into pairs, and I ended up hunting with Sandpaw. Between us, we caught two shrews and a thrush. We were bringing our prey back to where we split up, and that was when we unearthed a nest of Mice. Soon we had a small line of mice, about nine in all. We tried to carry all the prey back, but we ended up leaving three of the mice in the hole again, and we'd collect them later. We also buried the thrush in a hole beside another tree, and together we carried the rest back to our destination. Bramblestar and Cloudtail were padding back, with a sparrow and squirrel between them.  
"Wow." Cloudtail purred. "That'll keep us fed for a while."  
"Theres more mice and a thrush back there." Sandpaw dropped the prey so he could talk. Bramblestar nodded.  
"You must of uncovered a whole nest!" my mentor grinned. We both nodded.  
"C'mon, Sandpaw." I called to my brother. "Lets go get the rest of the prey." We padded back to the nest, but on the way, we scented something.  
Shadowclan.  
We ran further towards the border, only to meet a patrol re-scenting, much further in than usual.  
"Hey!" Sandpaw hissed. "Thats our land!"  
"Not any more!" A dark ginger purred. He unsheathed his claws and was about to pounce, when a tortoishell spoke from behind him.  
"Rowanclaw, you shouldn't attack them." She warned.  
"Why not?"  
"Their 'paws, new one by the scents of it." She hissed. She turned to us. "Are your mentor's nearby?" I liked her a little, she stopped the tom from attacking us.  
"Swanpaw, go get Cloudtail and Bramblestar." my brother murmered. I turned and ran, faster then this morning. I was out of breath and tired, but I reached the shore and called for my mentor.  
"Shadowclan...by the border..." I panted. Bramblestar hissed.  
"C'mon." We followed my trail back. "Stormpaw, go fetch some warriors. Tell them to wait in the trees. Don't get all the warriors though, and if it comes to battle, make sure another patrol waits by the tunnel entrances with Thornclaw." Bramblestar added, as we ran back. My brother ran into the other direction, towards camp.  
"What were they doing?" Cherryfern asked me.  
"Resetting the borders inside ours." I panted. The other warriors seemed to run faster at this news, and when we reached the border, the two cats had grown to seven.  
"Tawnypelt." Bramblestar curtly nodded to the female from before. "Rowanclaw."  
"Bramblestar." They both dipped their heads. "We're claiming our land."  
"How is it yours?"  
"You should know that the land was all divided un-equally all those moons ago." another cat hissed from the back.  
"If that was true, Snowbird, Shadowclan would've claimed it long ago."  
"We were waiting for us to be the strong force we are now." A white cat with black feet padded towards the border.  
"I think you'll find, Blackstar, that Thunderclan is also at its strongest." The wind changed, and as Stormpaw padded up behind us, I could smell all the warriors in the trees. "If we go into battle, it wouldn't be wise on Shadowclan."  
"Nor on Thunderclan." Blackstar retorted.  
"Shadowclan! Attack!"  
"Thunderclan! Attack!"  
Both cries rang out, almost at the same time. However, Blackstar's was slightly sooner. Shadowclan wasn't prepared for the mass of warriors to drop from above; Birchfall, Lionblaze, Dovewing, Ivypool, Mousewhisker, Foxleap, Cinderheart, Moleberry, Lilypaw and Flaxpaw leapt from the trees above, and began to join in the battle. Lionblaze rushed in to where Rowanclaw was pinning down Ivypool and bowled him over, before the two Thunderclan warriors began to take on the Shadowclan Deputy. Flaxpaw was being pinned down by a warrior - a cream and gray tom - who was much bigger than him. I darted between the fighting Dovewing and Owlclaw, and leapt on the tom's back. He yowled and ran into the forest.  
"Thanks." Flaxpaw grunted. That was when we heard the sickening crunch of a bone, and everyone turned to where the leaders were. Bramblestar was lying limply.  
"He's lost a life." somebody choked out. I padded slowly towards my leader, only to have Cinderheart's tail sweep across and hold me back.  
"This is a reminder of how weak your clan is." Blackstar purred. "Shadowclan will always be the best clan in the forest! Thunderclan will always be full of Loners, Kittypets and Rogues." I felt my blood boil, and I ran past Cinderheart, darted between every cat and was writhing in battle Blackstar, before some warriors even noticed I was moving. Suddenly, I was pinning the leader down,  
"Thunderclan is more proud than Shadowclan will ever be!" I hissed. Blackstar's eyes glinted.  
"You seem to fast to be a Thunderclan 'paw." He purred. "Another Loner, Bramblestar?" Blackstar hissed at the recovering leader.  
"I'm fast because thats who I am. We dont care so much about where we come from. Its why we're here that matters. I'm proud of who I am."  
"Shadowclan was, is and always will be better."  
"Your not in much of a position to talk; your being pinned down by an apprentice, Blackstar." He began to struggle as I pointed this out.  
"Swanpaw, thats enough." Lionblaze called.  
"Listen to what your father says." Blackstar purred mockingly.  
"So are you now telling me that Shadowclan doesn't even hold family close." I hissed. "Thats terrible." I dug my claws into his belly. Further and further I dug them in, until he was howling.  
"Shadowclan! Retreat!"  
"Swanpaw." It was Bramblestar now. He padded towards us, the fight back in his eyes. He may have lost a life, but he seemed fine now. "He's called the warriors back."  
"SWANPAW!" Stormpaw hollered from beside me. Blackstar ran off.  
"She's crazy." he hissed at us, before following his clan.  
"Why did you do that?"  
"I don't know..." I hissed. "I guess the way he was mocking us..."  
"Don't let it happen again." he warned, as Jayfeather and Seedpaw made there way towards us.  
"Who's hurt?" Seedpaw asked. Cherryfern had torn a claw, I had a nick in my ear and Birchfall's tail had a cut.  
"I don't think Shadowclan will try anything for a while now..." Moleberry murmered.  
"How did she manage to pin down Blackstar?" Mousewhisker hissed.  
"She's going to be one strong warrior, thats for sure." Foxleap shook his head as he purred. Cinderheart ran up to me.  
"Dont-you-dare-pull-a-stunt-like-that-again-do-you -hear-me?" she ranted, licking me between the ears with each word.  
"Okay! Okay!" I sighed. Cinderheart wrapped her tail around me.  
"Cinderheart, I need to treat her ear." Seedpaw broke us up. She chewed some herbs, but Jayfeather paused her.  
"I'd suggest you use cobwebs first, Seedpaw. Lilypaw, can you get some from a tree nearby?" Jayfeather asked his apprentice's sister.  
"Yes Jayfeather." Lilypaw climbed into the hollow of a tree, and emerged covered in webs moments later.  
"This stings." I complained. Thornclaw's patrol ran down the hill towards us, and Thornclaw looked at me.  
"We saw what happened." he muttered.  
"Brave for an apprentice." Leafpool looked at me.  
"Brave for any warrior." Berrynose interjected. Bramblestar shook his head.  
"Can we all head back to camp now?"

* * *

A/N: Well, Shadowclan shouldn't try and claim land all the time! But Bramblestar will be thinking more about the prophecy now, because Swanpaw almost took one of Blackstar's lives. That beserk little main character ^_^


	4. Hawkpaw

Replies -

Sachiko: Swanpaw: *highfives*

Nora: glad you like it :3

A/N: This covers the start of how Swanpaw finds out about the Dark Forest. Which she wont know about fully until she learns the prophecy. Also, Holly, do you remember the conversation in the library about your warrior being called Carpsomething? Well...

* * *

The next gathering wasn't that bad, considering Blackstar had lost a life. Well, thats what I heard from Blackpaw, a new Shadowclan apprentice. Stormpaw, Flaxpaw and I were sitting with a group of other apprentices, and Hollypaw and her brother, Spikepaw, were the only ones from Shadowclan.  
"How?"  
"Olivenose said he got bad wounds from a battle." Spikepaw wrinkled his nose. I exchanged a glance with Flaxpaw and Stormpaw. I'd taken a leaders life? I was just an apprentice...  
"Spikepaw! Blackpaw!" Kinkfur padded up to us. "What were you talking about. She glanced at me.  
"Blackst-"  
"Come and sit with your clan." The warrior wrapped her tail around the 'paws and lead them away from us.  
"Rude." A Riverclan apprentice called Hawkpaw glared back in their direction.  
"What was that all about?" Ivypaw, a Windclan apprentice looked at us.  
"I'm not sure..." I lied.  
"All we know is that he squaled like a baby in battle with Thunderclan." Flaxpaw proudly puffed his chest. Was Bumblestripe really his father? He acted too much like Berrynose. But you could tell in his pelt that he was clearly the son of the striped warrior, so I dismissed the thought.  
"Really? Who did it?"  
"I can't remember." Stormpaw covered for me.  
"Probably Birchfall." I looked at Flaxpaw. "I can't remember because I was helping you at the time."

There was a yowl from the tree, and my first gathering began to take place officially; the first one, Lilypaw, Amberpaw, Dewpaw and Snowpaw went to. Last moon, Stormpaw, Sandpaw, Flaxpaw and Nightpaw went; I was in the medicine den with a bellyache. Tonight, only Stormpaw, Flaxpaw and I were here. Sandpaw and Nightpaw were both on the dawn patrol tomorrow.

"Windclan have driven away a fox from our Terrotory, and he wont be back for a while." Onestar began. "Our Nursery is full, and so is our fresh kill pile. This moon has been well for our clan."

"Riverclan has had the usual Greenleaf trouble with Twolegs." Mistystar started her report. "However, we're used to them now and are Surviving. Prey is bountiful, and we bring with us two new apprentices - Quillpaw and Falconpaw." The cats in the clearing purred out their names, and I noticed two small cats sitting near us.

"Shadowclan has been in a few troubles, but we are bouncing back, stronger than ever." The much older Blackstar rasped. His eyes bore into mine. "We have a full apprentice den, and bring a new warrior with us - Budsky." We all called out the new warriors name, and she looked at her paws in embarrassment. She was sitting beside Tawnypelt and Rowanclaw - she was the only surviving kit of their second litter, according to Bramblestar.

"Thunderclan have been well this moon." Bramblestar looked at the moon. "Despite a few injuries, we're a surviving clan." I licked my paw and dragged it across my ears. One of them still had a nick in it - my first battle scar. "Our Nursery and Warriors den is full, with new apprentices soon to be named." He purred - his four kits were nearly six moons. "Also, we have a newly named Medicine Cat - Seedtail." Lilywing purred from where she sat beside her sister. Seedtail was named at the halfmoon and Lilywing was happy for her littermate.

The cats began to mingle more and more - the three of us fending off questions from the fight. Hawkpaw sat beside me when Flaxpaw went off to find Dovewing. He frowned after he returned, but sat to the otherside of Stormpaw. We started to talk about hunting next, and Hawkpaw didnt beleive me when I told him about the Mouse nest.  
"I don't think you'd catch all of them!" He objected.  
"To bad Sandpaw isnt here to tell you!" I purred.  
"She did catch them all!" Stormpaw added, and Flaxpaw nodded.  
"Graystripe ate half of them and got Bellyache!" Flaxpaw grinned. Defeated, Hawkpaw began to boast about catching a Trout, which another apprentice - his sister, Carppaw - agreed.  
"Well I guess we're even." I purred. "But I have no idea what a trout is..." I began, before Birchfall padded over to tell us that Thunderclan was leaving.  
"See you." The three of us nodded to Hawkpaw and Carppaw before following Birchfall to where some Thunderclan cats were gathering. We followed them to the tree bridge, when Hawkpaw hissed at me from the side of the trees. I padded quickly over to him.  
"Meet me by the Lakeshore tomorrow night." He told me, before disapearing off towards Carppaw. I ran back to my clan, and about five cats were still crossing the bridge so I joined the line behind Cloudtail. I followed all of the cats back towards our camp, thinking what Hawkpaw could want to talk about on the lakeshore.

* * *

A/N: uh oh...


	5. Dreams

Replies:  
Amberflower: I'm very glad you like it :D  
Oci Oceana: Its not forbidden love, its a stupid Riverclan 'paw who thinks he knows everything about prohecies. XD

I lay for what seemed like a lifetime pretending to be asleep - My brothers were both asleep in their nests closer to the entrance. Nightpaw was asleep between them, and Flaxpaw was snoring awfully close to me. I had to sneak around them all.  
"Swanpaw?" Flaxpaw looked up at me. I was just by the entrance. I froze.  
"I've got bellyache... I need to go to the dirtplace." I lied. He sat up and looked at me.  
"Do you want me to tell Jayfeather?" He asked.  
"Don't you have to be on dawn patrol? Get back to sleep. It was probably from that mouse I ate earlier. I'll be fine." I hissed and as I left the den, I didn't heard his snoring again. I padded out the dirtplace tunnel, and returned a few minutes later.  
"I already feel better." I hissed at him. He fell asleep again, and I lay down closer to the exit - making it seem that I was sleeping in the same nest as him to make him happy. I edged closer and closer away, until I was out of the dirtplace tunnel and free. Hugging to the camp wall, I made my way to the Lakeside, avoiding where Lionblaze and Cloudtail were on guard - I didn't want my father to see me sneaking out of camp. As soon as I was far enough away - I ran for the shore in a giddy haze. When I reached there - Hawkpaw was swimming across the lake and was a few fox lengths away.  
"Hi!" He swam up to me.  
"What do you want?"  
"We need to talk."  
"About...?"  
"A prophecy." he looked at me. "I have a littermate who died from greencough about a moon after we started training." he looked at his paws. "Lightpaw heard a prohecy given to a Thunderclan cat - and the cat is an outsider to its clan who'll save all the clans."  
"So...?" I shivered at the thought of me being this cat.  
"Lightpaw told me that whoever took Blackstar's eigth life was that cat."  
"How do you know how many lives Blackstar has left?"  
"Lightpaw told me. Also, its obvious as to how he was acting at the gathering."  
"So, you come over here just to tell me about some Starclan rumour?" I hissed. He looked shocked.  
"I want to know who this cat is!"  
"I'm not telling you." I snarled. His eyes beamed into mine like lamplights. "Go away before I fetch Lionblaze."

For the next moon, I'd had dreams every night involving Hawkpaw. He was trying to tell me about the Prophecy, but I'd always shun him. I sat yawning after my battle assessment, and Bramblestar looked at me.  
"Go back to camp and get some sleep." he looked at me. "Or your not going to the next gathering." My heart plummeted. I had to go! It wasnt for another seven sunrises - I could still catch up in training!  
"Yes Bramblestar." I looked at my mentor.  
"Why are you so tired all the time... Are you having bad dreams?"  
"Kinda..."  
"Talk to Jayfeather tomorrow." He ordered as we padded back to camp.  
"But they'll go away..."  
"They might have a bigger meaning than what you think, Swanpaw." he hissed.  
I padded into the den and curled up in my nest. Nightpaw was having a late afternoon nap, and looked up as I padded in.  
"Whats up?" she looked up as I padded towards my nest.  
"I'm just tired." I sighed, and curled up in the nest.

Bramblestar padded towards Jayfeather's den.  
"Greetings, Briarlight."  
"Good evening, Bramblestar." she purred. "Would you like me to get Jayfeather?"  
"Yes please." he replied, and the injured cat dragged herself to Jayfeather's nest. The blind cat was nearly asleep. However, he sat up before Briarlight nudged him awake.  
"Yes, Bramblestar?" he asked.  
"I think the Prophecy did mean Swanpaw." Bramblestar looked at Jayfeather. "Her training scores are amazing, and she's been having dreams."  
"About...?"  
"I dont know. But can you enter them every now and again for me?"  
"Instead of me sleeping?" he hissed.  
"You dont have to stay in them all night." Bramblestar curtly replied before leaving the den.

"Greetings Swanpaw." a straggly grey cat looked at me.  
"Um... hello?" I dipped my head, before looking up. "Why are you visiting me"  
"I am Yellowfang. We need to tell you about Flaxpaw."  
"What is it?" I frowned. Yellowfang swept her tail across, beckoning me to follow her. We padded in silence, I'd been told that Starclan only visited certain few - but I wasn't even born in the clan!  
"I brought her for you." Yellowfang called to a flame orange cat, who looked at me and purred.  
"Greetings Swanpaw." he dipped his head and I did the same. "I am Firestar."  
"Its an honour to meet you - but what do I need to know about Flaxpaw?"  
"First - I need to take you somewhere." He looked at me. "Do you want to come?"  
"Where?"  
"Its called The Place of No Stars."  
"Sounds lovely." I snorted. "Lead the way."  
Firestar explained about the previous past with the cats I could find here.  
"Somecats trained with them last time but didnt fight. They founded the new Dark Forest, and are training younger, strong cats their ways in their dreams." he looked at me. "Spottedleaf things Hawkpaw will be next." I guessed Spottedleaf was a Starclan cat - probably from Thunderclan.  
"Flaxpaw wouldn't train here." I told Firestar. We'd rolled in mud to hide our scent and watching from the trees. I gasped - Dewclaw was standing amongst them. They were all fighting and I watched in horror as Ivypaw, the Windclan apprentice, was torn by a larger Shadowclan Tom. "Cant you do something?"  
"I gave my last life to end this. But my last life failed me and the clans." he looked at me. "A new cat will defeat these cats."  
"Me?" I asked. Firestar's bright green eyes burned into mine and I felt millions of memories surge through my mind. Of a kittypet sitting on a fence, then wandering in the woods. Joining a clan, fighting with other cats. Tigerclaw. Becoming Deputy. The death of a Blue-Grey cat. Becoming leader. Fighting with the forest. Going on a journey. Arriving at the lake. Ashfur. Hawkfrost. Tigerstar. Darkforest. Tigerstar. Tigerstar. TIGERSTAR.  
I looked at the former leader.  
"I am this cat."  
Firestar dipped his head.


	6. I hate Trees

Replies!

Amberflower: Thank you! :D sorry, I kinda write too much I guess…

Books are awesome699 : Don't worry, I update when I can! And I know what OMS stands for – whoa you like it that much? XD

Oci: *runs in shame because of the next paragraph*

* * *

_I woke up to Flaxpaw's foot landing squarely in my belly from the nest infront of me._

_"Omph" I grunted, and kicked him back. He opened his eyes and glared at me, before sliding into my nest and kicking me again._

_"Why did you wake me up?" he hissed._

_"You kicked me!" I protested. Flaxpaw wrapped his tail across my body._

_"Go to sleep." He muttered. I looked at the roof of the den. A tiny patch of moonlight glittered through._

_"Alright" I put my head on my paws and closed my eyes._

* * *

"Rise and shine, sleepyheads" Stormpaw purred. I looked at him and yawned. It was dawn.

"Yes?" I lifted my head. Flaxpaw did the same on the other side of me.

"You're on Dawn Patrol, Swanpaw." He nudged me out of the warm den, towards the middle of the camp. "Why were you sharing a nest with Flaxpaw?" he grinned at me as we padded towards Cloudtail, Bramblestar, Dewclaw and Hazeltail.

"Because he woke me up and climbed into my nest because we couldn't sleep." I snorted out the half-truth. My brother purred.

"Alright" he responded.

We began our trek around the boundaries, and as we passed where I'd met with Hawkpaw, I tensed. He was right about the prophecy. I had to tell someone – but they'd all say I didn't belong and cast me away because I'm not one of them. But that's what makes me the cat in the prophecy. I was aparently going to save them all?

"Smell anything?" Dewclaw purred back at us.

"Nothing" I responded. I didn't want much to do with Dewclaw after I saw him in the dark forest.

"I can smell the forest." Stormpaw purred.

We rescented the border with Shadowclan, before following the trail across the back of the territories. We passed an area with a hollow, and we pad along the trail until we reach the camp again.

"Hunting assessment at noon" Bramblestar tells me and Stormpaw. Then we're allowed to get prey and sleep again. I padded towards the den with a mouse in my jaws. As I walked in, I saw Flaxpaw thrashing around in the nest.

"Hey!" I hissed at him. Nobody else was in the den. "HEY!" I snarled louder. He looked at me as he woke up. "You were having a fit."

"I was having a dream." Memories of my dream with Firestar flashed in my mind. Since the dream with Firestar, I've been on edge around him. Yet, he seemed so close to me at the same time.

"Wanna talk about it?" I asked as I slid into the nest next to him.

"Not really, no." he responded. I looked at him, my eyes looking into his.

"You can talk me about anything, Flaxpaw."

"I know." He put his head on his paws and looked at me. "You gonna eat that mouse?"

"Have it." I purred.

* * *

"I give you the name Nightmist, may your courage fill the clan with strength." Bramblestar touched noses with the black she-cat. It was about a moon since I'd started sharing a nest with Flaxpaw. Bramblestar promised us we'd get our names soon; they just wanted to make sure our battlemoves were at a good standard, and I was having trouble climbing trees.

"I give you the name Flaxclaw, may your brute strength help the clan in its darkest of times." Bramblestar turned to Flaxclaw and touched noses with him.

"Nightmist! Flaxclaw!" We all chanted the new names. I touched noses with Flawclaw and Nightmist.

"Congratulations!" I purred to my friends.

"Good luck with the four!" Nightmist purred, referring to Bramblestar's kits that'd just been made apprentices.

"We're going to need it!" Stormpaw frowned. Sandpaw yawned from beside me.

"Let's get some fresh kill before going to sleep." He told the other two of us. We padded away, after wishing the new warriors good luck during their virgil. I sat between my brothers, who both purred at me.

"What am I missing?" I asked.

"We were wondering who you're sharing a nest with tonight."

"Ha ha." I hissed at them. They purred, and soon enough we'd filled our bellies and decided to go and find some fresh moss for the dens; the sun hadn't started casting shadows yet, so we still had time.

"Hang on." I hissed at my brothers, before climbing to Bramblestar's den. Morningpaw, Firepaw, Badgerpaw and Longpaw were staring at us from the other end of the clan. I called into the den, and when Bramblestar called back, I padded inside. "We're collecting moss, can we take the new apprentices?" I asked. They hadn't been apprenticed for a full day yet, receiving their names that morning.

"Take a warrior with you, but not Flaxclaw or Nightmist because they're on vigil, and make sure the warrior's free right now." Bramblestar replied from the nest he was sharing with Squirrelflight. She looked at me.

"Take one of their mentors." Squirrelflight added. I nodded and left the den.

"I'll get some moss from you later!" Bramblestar called as I jumped down the high ledge.

"We can take the new apprentices to help out, but we should take one of their mentors." I told them. They sighed, and after looking around, I saw Icecloud across the camp. She was Badgerpaw's mentor, so I decided to ask her. Soon, we were leaving camp; Icecloud leading the way, with the four 'paws following her determinedly. We padded behind.

"You'll need more nests now that there are so many of you in the den." Icecloud purred. "Good idea, Swanpaw."

"I think Jayfeather would like some cobwebs, huh Swanpaw?" Stormpaw teased.

"Why don't you go fetch some." Sandpaw added.

"Why don't you?" I asked him.

"I'm not the one who hates trees." He replied. I looked at Icecloud, she was showing the apprentices how to ball up moss. Morningpaw had a pile bigger than her.

"You going to get cobwebs?" she called over to us.

"Swanpaw's going up!" Stormpaw called back to her. I looked at my brothers, before jabbing my paws into the rough bark. I started to climb up the elm tree, keeping my tail flat against it. There was a hollow about four branches up, which I could see was brimming with Sticky webs. I wrapped my paws against the branch above me and pulled myself up. I hated heights. I clung to the trunk, and soon I had one branch to go. I clung to the trunk again as I moved up one more branch to the hollow. I touched the webs, and soon after covering my pelt in them, I climbed back down. I slipped at the last branch, and landed in a pile of nettles. My brothers were _mrow_ing with laughter, and I hissed back at them.

"Are you alright?" Firepaw quipped up from the side of me.

"I'm fine, thanks." I replied, glad at least one cat cared about my fall. When I stood up though, I wasn't fine.

"What's happened?" Icecloud ran over as I yelled out in pain. Nursery stories about Cinderheart falling out of the tree rang in my mind – had I broken my leg? Icecloud touched her nose against my leg. "I think its swollen, but I don't know."

"Whats swollen?" Leafpool asked from behind us. We saw a patrol pad towards us, and Leafpool sniffed my leg.

"You should let Jayfeather look." Birchfall hissed from behind her. Leafpool looked at him.

"Well, Jayfeather isn't here right now? Is he?" Leafpool hissed back. Then she looked at her paws. "You're right – let's get her back to camp." She added. My paw was on fire with every step we took, and it hurt even when I was leaning against Brackenfur. If I really was born into the clan, the golden warrior would have been my kin – but I guess he still thought of me as his kin, due to the worried expression in his eyes. It always takes me a moment to remember that Brackenfur is Cinderheart's father. When we reached camp again, I was dimly aware of Badgerpaw and Longpaw pawing bits of web out of my pelt.

"Swanpaw!" I could hear Cinderheart yowl, and I turned my head to see my mother plunge across the clearing towards me. "Somebody get Jayfeather!" Bramblestar appeared from his den and climbed down the rock fall, before talking to Icecloud about what happened. Flaxclaw and Nightmist saw me, and were reminded they had to stay silent after Cloudtail swept his tail across their bodies. Seedwing appeared next, and after Poppyfrost managed to get Cinderheart away from me, Brackenfur and the medicine cat got me into the medicine den, before I fell asleep from exhaustion.


	7. It all becomes real

A/N: First death, other than taking one of Bramblestar's and Blackstar's life. Well, the death is technically in the next chapter, but you get what I mean XD

Replies –

Oci: interesting in a good way or a bad way?

* * *

I woke up to my leg throbbing the next morning.

"Anybetter?" Jayfeather asked me, as I sat up. It was warm, and the rhythmic rising and falling of Seedwing's chest in the nest beside me had helped me sleep.

"I guess." I purred. The searing pain was now a dull throb, so it must be healing.

"It was just a sprain; it will feel better soon. However, no training for you today." He informed me. I looked at the sky outside. It was almost dawn, but it was already very warm.

"What am I meant to do today?" I replied curtly.

"I don't know, entertain the kits or something."

"How?"

"I didn't say you couldn't leave the nest – just take it easy."

"It's not even dawn yet." I complained. I doubted the queens would want me to be cheering up the kits at this hour. I watched Flaxclaw and Nightmist keeping vigil; the littermates were back to back in the clearing. Nightmist's eyes were trained on the entrance, while Flaxclaw's were on the dens, and he kept glancing back to where I was sitting, on the nest outside next to Seedwing's. I caught his eye and his face lit up, the new warrior had his tail wrapped smartly over his front paws.

"Then go back to sleep." Jayfeather replied.

"Don't be so harsh, Jayfeather." Briarlight mewed from the nest inside the den. I smiled, but I knew Jayfeather couldn't see it. Cinderheart told me that Jayfeather had been blind since he was born. Also, he was my Kin because he was Lionblaze's littermate.

"It's half-moon tonight… I need to see what stock we have." He told Briarlight.

"Wait for Seedwing to wake up first."

"Yeah, Jayfeather, It's not even dawn." I purred back at him. Jayfeather grumbles something about "she-cat's trying to control his life" and padded back towards his nest. I decided I may as well get some more sleep, and placed my head on my front paws.

* * *

"Greetings." A large golden warrior appeared.

"Not again." I hissed, looking at my paws. "So, this prophecy really does talk about me, huh?"

"I am Lionheart." He purred. "I'm afraid so. Starclan could only see four cats before. Although the four weakened them, they're returning."

"What am I supposed to do? I haven't even left training."

"Neither had Lionblaze, Hollyleaf, Jayfeather or Dovewing when they found out."

"Who's Hollyleaf?" I remembered the name from somewhere.

"A starclan warrior – Lionblaze's littermate."

"That's where I know her from…" I paused. "Why do you want to talk to me, Lionheart?"

"I need to take you to the Dark Forest – something terrible will happen tonight. You'll need to mask your scent though." He looked at a marsh to the left of us. "We found a marsh here after the battle so long ago." Lionblaze rolled in some of the mud from it. "It's useful for disguising scents." I padded behind him, and brushed my light silver coat with mud.

"Swanpaw?" a familiar voice called from across the clearing.

"Jayfeather? What are you doing here?" I asked him. He was sitting beside the Grey cat from my first dream.

"I was talking to Yellowfang… what are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know, covering myself in mud." I replied. "Lionheart has to show me something…"

"Oh." Jayfeather replied. "About the prophecy?"

"What?"

"Seedwing, Briarlight, Bramblestar and I all know. It was shown to Seedwing when you were a kit." He snorted.

"How can you see me…?"

"It's a dream. Now, go see what Lionheart needs to show you, and we'll talk when we wake up." Jayfeather padded away with Yellowfang.

"How long have you known it was me?" I hissed as they walked away. Lionheart looked at me.

"Let's go." Lionheart started to run, his long golden tail swishing. I followed, not nearly as smoothly but fast but I was able to keep up over the rocks and branches as we ran to the Dark Forest. Lionheart leapt to a tree; and from the hunch in his muscles to the clawing of the branch was one fluid motion. I climbed the tree slowly, carefully placing my paws. My hind leg throbbed but I watched the scene below.

"Still no more willing cats to join us?" a broad shouldered cat with rippling muscles padded past Dewclaw.

"I don't know who would be a good choice."

"Can't you think of any apprentices? Any at all?"

"There's Sandpaw, Stormpaw and Swanpaw…" Dewclaw spat out our names. I felt myself tensing beside Lionheart.

"What defining qualities do they have..?"

"Um… my friend Cherryfern mentors Sandpaw, she says he's strong…"

"What about the other two?"

"Stormpaw is the brains of them all, and Swanpaw's the fast one." He added. "Hailclaw, I don't know why you want to know about them so badly!"

"I just don't feel like I'm training enough Thunderclan."

"You have two of us." Two of them? Who else was training with these warriors? Please don't be Flaxclaw…

"I need a force within each clan."

"A force? What is this! I'm beginning to think that this isn't Starclan!" Dewclaw began to pad away. "I'm not training here anymore."

"No! You'll not leave!" Hailclaw hissed. "Leopardjaw!" he called to the trees. A muscular speckled tabby padded out.

"Yes Hailclaw?"

"Tell this mousebrain he can't leave!"

"I'm afraid you can't leave."

"Well, I'm leaving."

"If you leave," a tabby she-cat appeared from the other side of us. "We'll just kill you."

"You wouldn't kill me, Urchinfall." Dewclaw hissed.

"Try us." A thin warrior padded from behind Urchinfall.

"Let's go." Lionheart murmured to me, but I was too busy watching and hearing my clanmate being torn apart.

* * *

"No!" I cried as I woke up. A group clustered around the fresh-kill pile looked up at me. I panted and looked at Briarlight, who was standing a foxlength away from me.

"What's wrong?"

"It was a dream…." I muttered. Cherryfern padded out from the Medicine den.

"Oh! Swanpaw! Sandpaw's going to need a new mentor – I'm having kits!" she purred, and licked her belly self-consciously.

"Congratulations – the nursery might be emptier by then!" I purred, and she purred back before padding off.

"I can't wait to see who Sandpaw's new mentor is." Seedwing purred from beside me. "What was your dream about?"

"Um…. A cat called Lionheart." I bent the truth again.

"Swanpaw." Jayfeather's voice called from behind me. "We should talk with Bramblestar." I nodded and said good bye to Seedwing. "You can train again tomorrow." He added as we climbed the rock-fall. We called in, and Bramblestar called back.

"I'll announce his new mentor at noon high, and congratulations to you and Dewclaw." He purred as the queen padded down the rock-fall.

"She knows." Jayfeather bluntly mewed.

"How?"

"I saw her in Starclan's hunting grounds with Lionheart."

"Did Lionheart tell you?" Bramblestar asked me.

"No… I was told in another dream by Firestar." I looked at my leader. "Why wasn't I told?"

"You were a kit at the time!"

"Is that why you wanted to mentor me?"

"So I could see if you were strong enough to cope with a battle against the Dark Forest – have you been there at all?"

"Twice…. And I've seen some Thunderclan there."

"Who?"

"I don't know who the second one is, but the other one is-" a scream cut between my words, the high pitched scream of Cherryfern discovering her mate struggling for breath in his nest, with the moss soaked in blood.

"Dewclaw!"


	8. Lilytail

REPLIES :

Guest: She thought it was all a dream, didn't she? She didn't know he would die in real XD

Oci: Thank you!

A/N: Poor poor Dewclaw. But, The Dark Forest will soon be regaining their thunderclan….

* * *

Dewclaw was lifted out of his nest and taken to Jayfeather's den by Birchfall and Lionblaze. Hushed voices rang from around the camp, until Birchfall put any accusations to rest;

"He was still asleep when I sent out the patrols. Nobody was in the den with him." Jayfeather had gone to his den as fast as he could.

"The wounds are fresh."

"Who did it?" Mousewhisker hissed.

"There's a murderer in the clan!" Spiderleg looked at Bramblestar. His eyes were vacant, but he looked at Spiderleg after a moments delay.

"We will have to wait for him to tell us." Bramblestar dipped his head. "If anyone has any information, I would like to know. Can I speak with Dovewing, Lionblaze and Swanpaw in my den please?" he requested, before padding away. I looked around – both Warriors were padding behind Bramblestar. I turned and followed them.

"Why did you want Swanpaw?" Dovewing asked.

"The Four will Fall and one will remain."

"Pardon?" Lionblaze asked.

"It was prophesised to me in the clearing."

"But we defeated the Dark Forest?"

"Their rising again – and you can't save them yourselves this time." Bramblestar looked at the two warriors.

"Who's the one?"

"Swanpaw."

"What?" Lionblaze hissed, before turning to me.

"It was Prophesised when she was a kit."

"What about the other kits?" Dovewing looked at Bramblestar.

"An _Outcast _will save the clans."

"What is actually going to happen?" I asked my father.

"Last time, we had a battle in which many cats from both sides died." Lionblaze looked at his paws. "Firestar, Ferncloud, Mousefur… Hollyleaf." He muttered his sister's name. Then he looked at me. "We all had special powers – Jayfeather, Dovewing and me. We need to find yours." He looked at Bramblestar. "Can we take her training?"

"Jayfeather said no training for me today." I muttered.

"Which means you should go and rest." Bramblestar nudged me to the exit.

"I'm not going near where Dewclaw is…" I hissed. I didn't feel like going in any den. I wanted to go into the forest.

"Jayfeather's orders" the leader shook his head. "You can do some camp chores if you want? Move some of the moss you collected into the elders den."

"Yes, Bramblestar." I climbed down the rock fall – and at the bottom, I heard more wailing from Jayfeather's den. "How is he?" I asked Nightmist who had padded over towards me.

"Swanpaw…" Nightmist began. "Dewclaw died…" She began to climb the rock fall – probably to inform Bramblestar. I made my way to where we stored moss, in a small crack in the wall. I pawed out some moss, before taking it to the elders. They looked at me as I walked in, and Sandstorm touched her tail to my flank.

"I'm sure the clan will bounce back." Sandstorm purred at me.

"I just keep remembering the battle." Greystripe was muttering. "Do you think it was the dark forest?" he muttered to nobody.

"I feel so sorry for Cloudtail and Brightheart." Millie – the newest elder – sighed. I dropped the moss in the entrance and looked at them.

"I've brought new moss." I informed them. They purred and scratched out some old bedding – except for Dustpelt who was snoring.

"Leave some moss here and I can do it when he wakes up." Sandstorm purred at me. "How are you, Swanpaw?"

"Tired" I replied. The elders purred.

"You don't know the meaning of it yet!" Greystripe purred.

"I don't think I want to!" I replied, before saying goodbye and leaving the den with the dirty moss. I left through the dirtplace tunnel to where we dispose of used moss, and as I returned I could see Jayfeather instructing Seedwing on which herbs to rub into Dewclaw's pelt.

"Swanpaw!" Jayfeather called to me. I padded over towards him. "Go with Seedwing to the old twoleg nest and collect some herbs."

"Yes Jayfeather." I replied. Seedwing padded towards me, and we went to the entrance.

"Hey Seedwing! Where are you going? What are you doing?" Lilytail called from the brambles, before running towards her littermate.

"Medicine cat stuff." Seedwing replied.

"Can I come with you?"

"Sorry, Jayfeather wants them now." She glanced at me. "We should get going."

"Why does she get to go with you?" Lilytail hissed.

"Jayfeather told her to, and besides – you have warrior duties." Seedwing hissed back, before beckoning me with her tail and leaing the camp. I shrugged at Lilytail and padded after her.

"What was that about?" I asked Seedwing.

"Oh, nothing, she's just acting as if we're both still kits."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure, but she's getting on my nerves." Seedwing complained, as she lead me down a small gully. I'd never been so far back from camp, except for when I was on border patrol. "This is where we can find Lavender, and Jayfeather wants some to rub in Dewclaw's fur." She bit a few stalks, and handed them to me. They smelt so sweet I could feel my mouth watering. "Follow me." She padded down towards the camp, before biting a few stalks of another herb. "Tansy, which is good for coughs."

I couldn't ask what it was for, because my mouth was stuffed with them all. Seedwing collected some more, which she said would be good for my leg, and then we went back to camp. The sun was casting shadows in the camp, and Jayfeather and Seedwing began to knead the lavender into his long tufts of hair. I looked at him, I didn't know if I would find him in the Dark Forest or in Starclan – I prayed it was the latter. Bramblestar padded into the den as I was leaving.

"Assesment tomorrow." He informed me. I nodded. "How's your leg?"

"Getting better" I purred. Stormpaw and Sandpaw inched towards me, probably using me as an excuse to see Dewclaw.

"Good, tomorrow we'll be doing a battle assessment, followed by a hunting assessment."

"Two assessments in one day…?" I asked. Bramblestar nodded.

"If all three of you pass them, you'll be getting your warrior names."

"Really?" Stormpaw asked. Sandpaw's eyes were as large as the moon.

"Yes, you'll be fighting against warriors and then you'll be hunting near the borders." Cherryfern padded from behind Bramblestar. "You still need to appoint Sandpaw's new mentor."

"Your too far along to come out with use tomorrow, but as tomorrow is their assessment, Bramblestar and I can view him." Cloudtail's voice drifted from where he was sitting with his son. He hadn't left the spot since Dewclaw breathed his last. "Go get some rest." He added thickly.

"Cloudtail, you'll be tired from staying up all night." Cherryfern fretted.

"I can sleep in the morning, assessment's not until noon, is it?"

"At sunhigh, yes." Bramblestar nodded. "I agree with Cloudtail – get some rest."

The three of us padded into the den, then Sandpaw looked at us.

"We're going to be Warriors!"

* * *

**Lilytail's POV**

"Who are you?" I looked at the cat.

"My name is Leopardjaw."

"Why are you visiting me? Do I have some special destiny?"

"You have an amazing path ahead, Lilytail. I want to train you, so you can be the best and defeat anyone in your path."

"What about Seedwing?" I looked at the muscular cat. Everyone in the clan only saw her - ever since she became a medicine cat shes been outshining me!

"Who?" The speckled tom asked me.

"My sister…"

"I've never heard of her. You must be the more important littermate."

I purred.

"I guess I am."


	9. Blood and Brown Feathers

"Swanpaw, you're going to be followed by Toadstep and Birchfall." Bramblestar finished. I looked at my brothers. We'd just finished battle assessment and now we were hunting. "Stormpaw, go towards the lake and Shadowclan but be careful around the border. Sandpaw, the Windclan border and the hollows near camp. Swanpaw, you can take the area behind camp." our leader dismissed us with the flick of his tail and began to talk to the other warriors. Cloudtail and Cherryfern were both grieving still, so Bramblestar was the only one of the Mentors with us. He would be moving between the groups, while two warriors kept an eye on the apprentices. Dovewing and Hazeltail were watching Sandpaw, while Berrynose and Lilywing kept an eye on Stormpaw.

I padded slowly through the trees, the wind whistling through my grey pelt. I scowled. No sign of prey! Leaf-Fall was nearing and I had to be a warrior before then. Almost as if Starclan heard me complaining, I heard the flutter of wings nearby. I was standing by the border. It seemed very familiar yet I'd only stood her a pawful of times before. I saw on a rocky outcrop a large, winged bird. I thought about padding away, it wasn't our prey after all. However as I turned, I heard the feathers again, and sharp talons rake my pelt. I hissed - this stupid peice of prey was attacking me! I turned on my paws and dug my claws into the mass of feathers. I heard Birchfall and Toadstep drop from the trees and leap towards us. I felt like my fur was on fire, and I felt myself be lifted from the ground slightly. Now I realized that _I _was the prey! If I was prey, who would save the clan? I writhed in the bird's talons, before sinking my teeth into the birds underbelly. It flapped its wings harder, but as I held down more, Birchfall was slinging to it's head. It's beak was snapping at his underbelly. Toadstep leapt from the otherside and knocked me from the bird's talons, before the bird was not to far of the ground uner the weight of the two toms.

"Get from the tree!" Birchfall hissed at me. I saw a large pine towering to the side of me. I hated trees, but I had to do this. I began to scrambled up, before I could see all three of them at the bottom.

"Move!" I hissed, and both the toms sprung back. The bird picked up Birchfall who was bleeding badly from the wounds to his stomach, and began to pound his wings and fly up. I leapt from the tree and clung to its neck, before biting it in the throat and feeling the sickly warm blood seep into my mouth.

"Birchfall!" Toadstep yowled as we hit the ground. Bramblestar ran from the trees towards us. I pulled Birchfall away from the bird.

"Whats an eagle doing here?" Bramblestar hissed as Berrynose, Lilywing and Stormpaw skidded to a halt beside us. Berrynose and Bramblestar lifted the deputy between them and began to pick their way back to camp.

"Do I bring the eagle-thing?" I asked Toadstep.

"Can you carry it?"

I looked at the mass of brown feathers, blood and bird.

"Can you help?"

The two of us made our way behind them carrying the bird.

"Can we eat this thing?" I asked Toadstep and we neared the barrier. Dovewing was pressing her nose into her father's fur and wailed as he was navigated through the barrier.

"No idea..." Toadstep replied. We dropped the bird onto the floor and dragged it through the barrier before Bramblestar sniffed the bird.

"Put it next to the pile, If we cant eat it the clean feathers would come in useful." he pointed to the pile. Toadstep had disappeared to get some herbs after the fight. I was suprised when Flaxclaw padded over to help me.

"Hey." he purred. "You caught this?"

"With the help of Birchfall and Toadstep... but Birchfall's been torn up rather badly."

"You look shaken..." Flaxclaw murmured and ran his tongue behind my ears, before latching his teeth into the eagle. I did the same and we got the dead bird of prey to where Bramblestar directed us to. Whenever Flaxclaw and I touched... I felt sparks fly or something. It felt like all of Starclan was swarming in my paws. Flaxclaw followed me to the medicine cat den, to see his kin. I got some herbs and a poultice on a wound on my leg but that was it. Birchfall was moaning, curled up in his nest with Whitewing licking him soothingly. Dovewing, Ivypool and Nightmist sat beside him, and Flaxclaw was joining them. Bramblestar was moving away from the group.

"Warriors ceremony at dusk." he purred.

"But-"

"But you took down an eagle and your more than capable enough to be a warrior." Bramblestar purred, before padding off.

* * *

"What kept you, Lilywing?" Leopardjaw hissed my name. I looked at him.

"Nothing, but Birchfall died today and Dewclaw died yesterday... Thunderclan's declining..." I muttered. Leopardjaw purred.

"One day this clan will be every clan. One day you'll be here forever and you'll be living here happily." Leopardjaw muttered. I loved the idea of a new clan again after I died.

_"What about the others?"_

_"Its not their destiny, its yours."_

I purred as I let those words from our last training session whip in my mind. I hadn't met anyone else in this clan yet - but I knew a few other Thundercan cats were here. Leopardjaw said I was his "project" and he was going to oversee my training entirely. There won't be a time when I'm training without him. I would go to some clan gatherings, but not many. Leopardjaw said that almost every important cat in this clan had their "projects". I know Urchinfall, a rather annoying she-cat,'s project is from Shadowclan.

"One day, after I die." I purred.

"Right, lets practice this new move. Its used just before the killing b-"

I began to focus less on the lesson and more on the teacher...


	10. Namings

Replies:  
Oci: Uh-oh indeed!

* * *

"I give you the name Stormblaze." Bramblestar touched noses with my brother, before moving towards Sandpaw. "I name you Sandear." The two toms touched noses and Sandear purred. Bramblestar padded towards me. He paused.

Was he not giving me my warrior name because I wasn't born into this clan? I'm saving this clan but I'm staying as a 'paw? This wasn't right. Other cats began to pick up on the pause, when Bramblestar nodded at the cliff face. Was our leader having a vision or something? That was when I noticed one of the eagle's feathers resting at my paws.

"I give you the name Swanfeather." Bramblestar touched noses with me and I felt a rush.

"Stormblaze! Sandear! Swanfeather!" the cats began to screech. Bramblestar leapt back to highledge.

"Birchfall wont be out of the medicine cat den for a while. He has agreed to let me name a new deputy." Bramblestar's eyes swept across the floor of cats staring at him from the ground.

"The new deputy is Cinderheart."

"Me?" My Mother's cry choked out. She glanced at Lionblaze and then at Bramblestar, who nodded.

"I would hope that while Cinderheart gets used to her new duties everyone else is patient. We are the largest clan in the forest - sorting patrols will be hard."

"Cinderheart! Cinderheart! Cinderheart!" we all called through the half gloom. Cinderheart's pelt glowed.

"I want Icecloud to lead dawn patrol, and take two warriors and some of your apprentices." Cinderheart shakily ordered. Icecloud nodded and began to talk to Thornclaw. Blossomfall was sittin beside him with their kits tumbling around beside them. They'd be apprentices soon. Flaxclaw and Nightmist padded towards the three of us to congratulate us again.

"Right, time for your virgil." Cloudtail nudged us over to the middle of the clearing.

"Its not too bad, don't worry." Flaxclaw purred.

"It'll be cold though." Nightmist added. The pair padded back over to the warriors den, and soon all of the other cats were in their nests.

We sat back to back. The moon rose and sunk and our eyes ached. Sandear sat draging his claws through the ground. Stormblaze was sitting with his eyes focused on the entrance to camp. I was staring at the dens. The warriors den was nestled in the middle of my line of vision. I could see Lilystorm and Nightmist curled up near the entrance. I could see the rising and falling of Ivypool's chest. I saw Cloudtail flicking his ears. Soon enough, Icecloud emerged a little while later and told us our virgil was over. Nightmist padded over towards us and licked me behind the ear.

"Take any left over prey from the pile." Icecloud said, turning towards us three. Mousewhisker emerged a moment later and padded to the apprentice's den, before rousing Morningpaw and Badgerpaw. They padded into the clearing bleary eyed and muttering about dreams with rabbits and Longpaw kicking in the night. I took one look at the small fresh-kill pile and padded to the den.

"Swanfeather?" Flaxclaw's head rose from his nest as I stood staring at the nests looking for an empty space. "Here." he moved over in his nest and his eyes burnt into mine.

"Thanks." I moved around the sleeping Berrynose and curled up next to him.

"Your freezing." he muttered.

"Virgil, Flaxclaw." I snorted sleepily. He began to lick my fur the wrong ways and I felt myself warming up.

* * *

_"Swanpaw." _

_Not again. Two cats sat staring_

_"Can I please get some sleep?" I hissed at the cats. "I've just been doing my virgil do I need you telling me riddles again?" She blinked at me. _

_"You've never met me before..."_

_"No... but I've met Yellowfang... Firestar... Lionheart..." I counted them off in my head._

_"Wow, your clan can be bossy!" The tom purred._

_"Oakheart! Your not helping me!"_

_"Sorry, Bluestar."_

_"Bluestar?"_

_"Thats me." She purred._

_"Swanfeather, I have some news about your father." Oakheart informed me._

_"What about Lionblaze?"_

_"Your real father."_

_"What?"_

_"His name is Boom."_

_"What do you know about him?" I hissed at the tom._

_"He's thinking about returning for you."_

_"He... He gave me up..."_

_"And he's coming back. He left you so that you could be suckled, weaned, learn to be strong."_

_"I.. I am strong." I hissed._

_"He will be at the back border at moonhight tonight. You'll need to stop him."_

_"How?" _

_"Take Flaxclaw or something. He seems to like you alot." Bluestar interrupted. I felt my pelt warm._

_"What are we meant to do?" I muttered. Leaving the clan wasn't an option. _

_"See him off." Oakheart murmered. "He's currently sleeping in a twoleg garden outside Riverclan."_

_"How do you know all this?"_

_"His mother was an apprentice from Riverclan. She left while she was still a 'paw to be with a rogue. Gave herself the name Goldentoe and never returned to the clans. But she never stopped believing in Starclan and taught her kits about us." _

_"But..."_

_"I've got to go." Oakheart touched noses with Bluestar. "I told Crookedstar I would go and see him." he padded away._

_Silence hung in the air._

_"He may love you, but he can't be trusted." Bluestar broke the silence._

_"Huh?" I murmered. Bluestar turned and walked away. I didn't need to ask. I knew she was talking about Flaxclaw._

* * *

A/N: *bombshell be dropped*


	11. Longpaw

REPLIESSSS:

oci: well you'll seeee ;)

guest: Squirrelflight gave up her duties when she got pregpreg w/ bramblestar's kits. I got the names mixed up but its too late to change them aswell, I actually forgot about the fact Spottedleaf died/faded (.o.) and YES YAY GO LIONHEART!11

* * *

"Flaxclaw, you and Swanfeather need to run Moonhigh patrol." Cinderheart finished the day's patrol list and nodded.

"B-But I need my sleep!" Flaxclaw moaned from beside me.

"Don't worry Flaxclaw, You're already beautiful as it is!" Dustpelt mrowed with laughter from behind us.

"And Swanfeather would like you even if you looked like Jayfeather's behind." Greystripe added. I felt my fur go warm and the elders chuckled.

"Any other reason you can't go on patrol?" Cinderheart purred from her seat at the base of highledge.

"No..." Flaxclaw glared at his paws.

"Good." My mother purred and turned away. I was set to go hunting with Morningpaw, Longpaw and Toadstep that morning. As we padded through the forest, I could feel the apprentices staring at me.

"What?" I turned as we reached the hollow.

"When will we get our warrior names?" they both whined.

"Warriors don't whine, so your a long way off from getting your names."

"Flaxclaw whines!" Longpaw snorted.

"Well, you can go and clean the elder's bedding." Toadstep hissed.

"But-"

"Swanfeather can take you back to camp." she added. "Also, keep him out of trouble while he's doing it and then keep him occupied. We need to work on Morningpaw's leap."

"Great." I muttered. I began to pad in the direction of camp with the annoying apprentice.

"Do you not like me?" he piped up as we were nearing the camp.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"I don't think many of the clan like me." he was staring at his paws as we walked.

"I think all the clan think that your going to be an amazing warrior, your Bramblestar's son."

"But all my littermates are amazing and I'm not!" he whined.

"What do you mean?" I asked as his bright eyes blinked.

"Morningpaw's smart, Badgerpaw's strong and Firepaw's great at hunting. I'm just sitting here, being the smallest of all three and the dumbest."

"Can you run?"

"What?"

"Can you run?" I repeated.

"Of course but-"

"Can you beat me back to camp?"

"No."

"How do you know?"

"Because I've seen you run and-"

"And I'm giving you a head start." I added.

"You've changed since we were apprentices... I bet you're sharing a nest with Flaxclaw again."

"Well, yes but-"

"But how far is it to camp?" he purred cheekily.

"Head in that direction. Go now and I'll be following." I smiled at the apprentice. He shot off and I counted to ten in my head before following. I couldn't find him at first, until I saw him plunge through the thorn barrier.

"Beat you!" he was purring.

"Right, go do what Toadstep asked." I ordered him.

"But-"

"And then I'll ask Cinderheart if we can practise running." The small tom padded towards the elders den.

"Back so soon?" she called from where she was sitting with Lionblaze.

"Rosepetal wants him to clean the elders, and I have to make sure he does it right." I murmered. "Can I take him running later? He's good at it."

"Ask Rosepetal."

"Ask me what?" the warrior asked from two foxlengths away. I explained to her, and she nodded. "I think it would be good for him to see how other warriors teach; I have to stop being his mentor soon."

"Why are all the queens having kits?" Lionblaze asked from beside me.

"Dont worry." Cinderheart rested her head on her paws. "We wont have anymore for a while now."

* * *

"Run." I ordered Longpaw.

"But..."

"Beside me." I muttered. "Come on!" we began to pelt at full speed towards the lake. When we reached it, Longpaw took long gulps of water. "We're going to go up to Shadowclan and then round to camp." I looked him up and down.

"That far-"

"Do you want to be faster than your littermates?" I asked him. He nodded and we began to run across the Beach; I felt a pang as I saw where I was sitting with Hawkpaw all that time ago, refusing to accept the prophecy was about me. I haven't thought about that in a while - but now I feel like I should teach this apprentice something more practical.

"Now attack me!" I hissed at him.

"What?"

"If you were catching an enemy cat; what would you do?" I added.

"But-"

"JUST DO IT!" I yowled and I felt his weight on top of mine, he began to flatten me down but he was too... _weak_? I writhed around and butted him off me with un-sheathed claws.

"I need to work on that." He muttered as he stood up.

"Push down harder." I breathlessly added. "Go again." I added before darting into the trees. I was just inland from Shadowclan when I felt it again - the tom landing ontop of me. I wriggled out and continued to race away - he was fast!

When Longpaw was finally able to pin me down, we were nearer to camp. I stood up. "Well done."

"Thank you."

"You deserve some fresh-kill." I added and we walked back into camp.

"Good run?" Rosepetal asked me from where she was sitting with Daisy.

"We also practiced ambushing an intruder who's running!" Longpaw purred.

"I'm glad. Do you like running with Swanfeather?"

"Its great fun!"

"In a few moons, I'll have to stop being your mentor. By then, Swanfeather will be ready for an apprentice..."

"But-"

"Do you want her to or not?" Daisy purred.

"Um... okay?" Longpaw agreed. Rosepetal purred.

"I'll talk to Bramblestar about it before I stop. Swanfeather, you can watch a few sessions closer to the time."

"Um... Thank you...?" I replied. All of a sudden, I was going to have an apprentice in two moons? I was only just a warrior!

"Swanfeather!" It was Sandeye. "You'll need some sleep for patrol" he added.

"Okay." I stuttered and made my way to the den.


	12. Boom

A/N: sorry! long time no see!

replies:

Oci:... *hides in shame*

Dragon: lol yerself XD

* * *

"Swanfeather..." Flaxclaw nudged me awake. "Let's get going." It was moon-high, and a chill was setting in. If the cat - my father that is - does turn up... I need to be ready. "You're quiet tonight." he purred as we began to pad along the scent line.

"I'm just tired." I muttered following him. "And nervous."

"Why are you nervous?" he asked me. "Do I make you uncomfortable?"

"No!"

"Good... because I wanted to ask you something."

"Okay...?" I frowned.

"Will you..." he paused. I drew up beside him and his lamplike stare turned to me. "Be my mate?"

I looked at Flaxclaw.

"Are-are you sure?"

_He can't be trusted. _Bluestar's words rung in my head.

"Never been more sure of anything, actually."

"Y-yes."

"Really?" he purred.

"Yes. But I-I don't want kits just yet..."

"That's fine!" he wrapped his tail around mine and we continued to walk. My thoughts about "Boom" and what I was going to do faded as with each step I took, Flaxclaw was all I'd think about.

I was taken from this lull by Flaxclaw's hiss.

"Who's that?"

A dark grey cat was sitting outside the boundary. This must be Boom.

"Can I talk to you?" his voice was strong.

"P-pardon?" I asked.

"I need to talk to your leader... are you from Stormyclan?"

"Thunderclan." Flaxclaw hissed.

"I left someone here a long, long time ago..." Boom blinked at me. We looked similar. "I need to talk to your leader."

"Who did you leave." I padded closer to this cat, his eyes latched onto mine.

"A kit."

"Why?" Flaxclaw had guessed who this cat was now.

"My mate had died... I had no other way to care for her." Boom dipped his head. "I am Boom."

Flaxclaw looked at me, and I nodded.

"I am Flaxclaw of Thunderclan, and this is my Mate, Swanfeather." I looked at Flaxclaw's eyes again, and I nodded again.

"My mate... is also your daughter."

Boom padded towards me.

"D-daughter?"

"Stay away from me!" I hissed. "Why did you return." Boom looked at his paws.

"Something will be happening to the clans soon. Something bad. I need to take you home."

"I'm safer here."

"No, you're not!" Boom protested.

"How do you know about this anyway?" Flaxclaw eyed Boom curiously.

"I met my mother again recently... she was born into a clan..." Boom looked at his paws. "Waterclan or something."

"Riverclan?"

"That must be it."

"Boom." I hissed. He looked at me. "Leave."

"B-but-"

"Now." I hissed. "Before you cross onto Thunderclan territory."

Boom dipped his head, before padding towards the darkness.

"I missed you." he turned his blue gaze back to mine for a second. "I lost everything after I had to leave you." and with that, he plunged into the darkness.

* * *

"We should finish here." Flaxclaw muttered. I nodded, before following him along Shadowclan's border, where we saw their Moon-high patrol and dipped our heads in greeting. "Be aware of a loner with dark grey fur." Flaxclaw warned them. "We saw him outside our territory and scared him off, but he might return."

"Thank you for the warning." Tawnypelt dipped her head, before leading her patrol away.

We reached camp and Flaxclaw told me to go and talk to Bramblestar, who was sitting on Highledge as the moon began to set.

"Anything?" he asked me.

"A cat called Boom." I muttered after I greeted him. "Claiming to be my father."

"What?" he looked shocked.

"Let me explain..."


	13. Loner

A/N: what? two chapters in two days? is it really me writing this? psshh ;) anyway, this is a short chapter BUT a needed one!

Replies:

Oci: don't worry, you'll find out soon enough!

silverwish: thank you :)

* * *

"...Nightmist, Swanfeather, Stormblaze, Morningpaw, Badgerpaw and Mosspaw." Cinderheart finished reading the list of cats going to the gathering before padding over to Poppyfrost and Berrynose.

"But-" Sandear protested.

"Don't worry." Stormblaze grinned. "Fernpaw will miss you."

"I don't like her!"

"You so do!"

"No I don't!"

"Saying that is like saying Swanfeather doesn't like Flaxclaw!" Stormblaze purred.

"That doesn't count, their mates!" Sandear grinned.

"Who's Fernpaw?" I asked, dumbly.

"That Riverclan 'paw who likes Sandear."

"Why aren't I going? Its my first gathering as a warrior!" Sandear hissed.

"Maybe because you put nettles in Graystripe's nest instead of Moss?" Nightmist purred from beside me. That accident had happened when Sandear was helping Brownpaw and Mosspaw put moss in the elder's den that morning. Needless to say, not many cats were impressed.

"Oh yeah..." he shook his head.

A hunting patrol headed by Lionblaze emerged from the tunnel; Lilystorm, Firepaw and Flaxclaw followed him. Leaf-fall was coming soon, but we still had plentiful prey.

"Let's go get some prey." Nightmist purred to me and we padded over towards the fresh-kill pile. Flaxclaw was carrying a chaffinch towards the elders den.

"I caught it myself!" he purred through the feathers, before padding away. We picked up a mouse each and padded back to where Sandear and Stormblaze were still bickering to eat.

When we were called for the gathering, Flaxclaw padded over and touched noses with me.

"Have fun" he purred.

"You too" I replied, before we began to head to the island. I ended up walking over between Nightmist and Stormblaze, nearer to the apprentice's than we would have liked. Morningpaw and Badgerpaw were teasing Mosspaw for being a lot smaller than them.

"She's just younger than you two." Stormblaze hissed at them.

"You can't hiss at us! We'll tell Bramblestar!" Badgerpaw hissed back.

"We happen to be his kits!" Morningpaw added.

"Well, I happen to be his former apprentice." I replied. "Besides, being Bramblestar's kits is a pretty lame claim to fame."

"Just because your the daughter of some loner-"

Everyone around us froze as the words left Morningpaw's lips. We were nearing Riverclan territory, and we could hear the wind whistling, it was too quiet.

I was running before I could stop myself.

"Did I say something?" Morningpaw looked at Nightmist.

* * *

I came nearer to Thunderclan as my legs pounded across the moors. As I crossed the stream, I paused.

"Why am I even here?" I thought aloud. "Nobody really cares about me. I should just go." I began to pad along the stream. "They can find themselves some other cat." I muttered. It was getting colder as I realized where I was. I was at the moonpool. I decided _I _wanted to visit them for a change.

I touched my nose to the water before curling up in front of the pool.

_"What's the matter?" Firestar asked from in front of me. _

_"I don't know what to do. Nobody else really knows about whats going on but-"_

_"Almost everyone knows now."_

_"Huh?"_

_"Mistystar knew about it for a short while and She and Bramblestar told everyone at the gathering. Only a handful of cats knew before hand."_

_"What about the prophecy?"_

_"They know a loner will save them."_

_"So all the clans now know I'm a loner?"_

_"No."_

_"But-"_

_"Don't worry. All the clans will accept you in time. Just not now."_

_"But-"_

_"Now you need to go back to your clan."_

_"Bu-"_

_"No buts." Firestar added, and he touched his nose against mine._

The cool floor of the moon pool's cave greeted me when I woke up.


End file.
